Natalie Forster: Editorial Opinion

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For some, it’s too easy to let a job overtake what’s outside the job — family, friends, hobbies or vacations. And it’s not really a vacation if you’re constantly checking your smartphone for text messages or emails from work colleagues, clients or feature-interview subjects.

May was National Building Safety Month, sponsored by the International Code Council.

The World Health Organization reports that 2.6 billion people do not have access to adequate sanitation. The United Nations says more than 1 billion people are living with a shortage of fresh water.

When I first began writing about the plumbing and heating industry in 1998, succession planning was an issue because many owners of contracting businesses weren’t looking ahead to retirement, especially those who owned smaller shops.

I grew up in Cadillac, Mich. And no, it’s not near Detroit. My parents still live there, and I like to go back and visit — especially when the high-speed pace of Chicago gets to me.

 You probably have heard the story about a former director of the U.S. Patent Office. In 1899, the story goes, he recommended closing the office because “everything that can be invented has been invented.” 

If you’re the owner of a small business — or small businesses make up a big part of your customer base — here’s another reason to worry about climate change.  

 The Plumbing Industry Leadership Coalition met in June to address three topics we’ve discussed in this column in recent months: the federal law on no-lead plumbing products; the next generation of plumbing industry professionals; and the nation’s aging infrastructure. 

 We’ve seen this collision before when two indicators of nonresidential construction activity are released virtually at the same time, with each moving in a different direction. The divergent reports support comments I’ve heard lately from contractors, wholesalers and manufacturers that the road to economic recovery remains a bumpy one.